Thursday, November 2, 2017

Just two weeks before baseball legend Derek Jeter bought the Miami Marlins, the Jeffrey Loria company that owned the team sued a private jet service that was supposed to fly the team to games in style.The problem, according to court papers filed with a Miami-Dade County circuit court in late September, is that New Hampshire-based Private Jet Services provided crappy flights with crappy service.“PJS failed to provide the Marlins with an aircraft having certain high-quality standards,” the complaint reads.Loria’s Miami Marlins LP also claims PJS showed up with low-quality replacement planes when the main jet broke down.At one point at the end of the 2015 season, the paperwork shows, the plane didn’t show up and left the players scrambling to get to a game on time.The team signed a $13 million plus contract in 2015 to have PJS fly to away games during MLB seasons in 2015 through 2018.PJS was supposed to supply an MIA-based Boeing 757 with 80 first-class seats and an on-board concierge as well as four flight attendants.According to the contract filed in the court file, the Marlins also expected on-board catering with china, linens, silver utensils and an open “premium” bar.But PJS stopped transporting the Marlins after the ill-fated flight that didn't make it and gave up on the contract all together, according to court records.Still, it kept all of the $3 million the Marlins paid for the 2015 season.Loria’s company claims breach of contract and unjust enrichment.A PJS spokesman didn’t return calls for comment.Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com

Two people who flew in a single-engine floatplane onto a lake next to the Ryder Cup golf tournament last year in Chaska and were arrested have sued the police chief and the city alleging public humiliation and rights violations.Dean S. Johnson, 61, of Chanhassen, and James R. Render, 64, of Wayzata, on Wednesday sued Police Chief Scott Knight and the southwest metro suburb for defamation and violation of civil and constitutional rights. The defendants are seeking $225,000 in damages along with reimbursement for the legal costs in bringing the action in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.Knight declined Thursday to speak about the suit, saying, “I cannot comment on pending litigation.” Attorneys representing the city were not immediately available.Johnson and Render were charged with petty misdemeanors for allegedly trespassing on the lake on Oct. 2, 2016, near the 10th green during the final round between the U.S. and European squads at Hazeltine National. The charges against each were dismissed six weeks later, with the prosecution explaining there was an “unlikelihood of success at trial.”Police Chief Scott Knight said a specially passed city ordinance prohibited any activity on the lake during the event. Johnson claimed he didn’t know the public lake was off limits at the time he touched down on the surface and had checked with federal aviation officials about any restrictions.In response at the time, Knight said, “I can’t imagine he didn’t.” The chief further commented that the pilot’s actions were “imbecilic” and “stupid.”“There was no basis for Chief Knight’s statements to the press concerning Mr. Johnson, including those calling his actions ‘ibecilic’ and ‘stupid,’ ” the suit read.The subsequent publicity and social media chatter about the incident forced the two men to “answer many embarrassing questions” and led to “many sleepless nights worrying about how the publicity around the incident would harm their reputations from both a business and personal standpoint,” the suit continued.At the golf course’s security center, the police presence totaled five or six officers, the court filing continued. One “was always very close to Mr. Johnson and Mr. Render, and the others stood blocking [the men’s] ability to leave or move around the property,” the suit read. Once free to go after many hours, they had to wait until the next day to retrieve the plane, which belonged to someone else, according to the court action.Two canoeists were similarly removed from the lake during the tournament that day and cited. The cases against Ryan J. Hough, 3x, of Waconia, and Craig J. Bardal, 35, of Chaska, also were dropped by the Carver County attorney’s office.Story and video: http://www.startribune.com

DETROIT — A couple of strangers who were caught in a sex act while in their seats aboard a Delta flight likely won't face criminal charges but could pay fines of $800 each, a former federal prosecutor said.A 48-year-old woman on her way to Nashville via Detroit was performing oral sex on a 28-year-old man on his way to Miami via Detroit, leading to complaints from nearby passengers, WDIV-TV, Detroit, reported.Delta Air Lines declined comment."It’s going to be very hard to find that this is criminal conduct under the federal code because it’s not a threat to the safety of the airline or other passengers," said Peter Henning, now a Wayne State University law professor."It’s certainly distasteful, but it was not disruptive or interfering with the operation of the plane — and that’s typically what (airline incident) charges involve," he said. "The embarrassment is probably the biggest punishment they can receive."The name of the pair, who reportedly had not met before the flight, has not been released.They were taken into custody Sunday at the Detroit Metro Airport terminal when the plane landed, airport spokeswoman Erica Donerson said. The flight was coming from Los Angeles.Airport police, who had been alerted by Delta crew, were waiting and transported the pair to the airport's safety building.Then the FBI took over, she said."The FBI issued the citations, so they are handling the case," said Donerson, who didn't know the exact nature of the citation. "All I know is that (the FBI) responded and took it from there. ... We have a police report, so I'm assuming something happened."The U.S. Attorney's Office said it had received no word from the FBI as of late Tuesday about charges. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office said it is not involved in the case.The former FBI chief in Detroit, Andy Arena, said this is a first for him."I've never seen anything like this," he said. "It's criminal stupidity, felony stupidity."While Arena ran the Detroit FBI office, he said he did see cases where airline passengers were criminally charged for misbehaving on an airplane. But those cases typically involved men who fondled children on a plane or inappropriately touched female passengers.The biggest case involved so-called underwear bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the self-proclaimed terrorist who tried to blow up a Detroit-bound airliner on Christmas Day 2009 with explosives hidden in his underwear.Abdulmutallab is serving a life sentence for his foiled plot.While charges are unlikely in the oral-sex case, they're not out of the question, Arena said. What happens will depend on who was sitting around the couple, whether anyone saw the act, and how disruptive it was."If this happened on the streets of Detroit and the cops rolled up, what would they do?" Arena said.FBI spokesman Tim Wiley said the bureau won't comment on ongoing investigations. But he did say the bureau investigates crimes aboard airplanes "once the boarding door closes, regardless of severity." Original article can be found here: http://www.11alive.com

BUFFALO — A Steuben County man was sentenced Tuesday in connection with a landing accident at Perry-Warsaw Airport. Brian Woodhams, 40, of Wayland had been convicted of making a false statements to a federal, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. He was sentenced to time served and one year of supervised release.Woodhams had received a student pilot license in October 2015. He was allowed to fly by himself, but required to have a flight instructor aboard if he carried passengers.Woodhams was landing his Piper Cherokee 140 on October 31, 2015. He overcorrected and hit the brakes after the plane veered right.The plane’s nose went into a ditch off the runway. Woodhams had a 15-year-old passenger at the time, but no flight instructor.Safety inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration viewed the aircraft two days later.During a telephone conversation, Woodhams told inspectors he had suffered a bloody nose and hurt his shin during the accident. He also said he was the plane’s only occupant, but that his son approached immediately afterward — only to slip and fall, and suffer a bloody nose while climbing up a flap.Woodhams met with inspectors in-person on Nov. 4, 2015 and told them again that he was the plane’s only occupant, with his son arriving later. He was informed a witness reported seeing his son in the plane, which he again denied.Six days later, Woodhams submitted an official incident report saying a passenger was on the plane and injured in the incident.Woodhams was interviewed again by a U.S. Department of Transportation special agent and FAA inspectors on Jan. 10, 2017. He stated yet again he was the only person on the plane at the time.When questioned about evidence developed during the investigation, he denied once more that he had a passenger, and offered an alternative explanation which also proved false, federal officials said.Original article: http://www.thedailynewsonline.com

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA03714 CFR Part 91: General AviationAccident occurred Saturday, October 31, 2015 in Perry, NYProbable Cause Approval Date: 01/15/2016Aircraft: PIPER PA 28-140, registration: N6665JInjuries: 1 Uninjured.NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.The student pilot reported that during the landing roll he heard something fall in the back seat. He looked back; when he looked forward again the airplane had veered to the right. The student pilot attempted to correct with the rudder, but reported that he "overcorrected" to the left and then to the right, and then "hammered" on the brakes. Subsequently the airplane skid off the runway to the right and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:The student pilot's failure to maintain vigilance, which resulted in a loss of directional control during the landing roll.

Lansing — The Michigan National Guard is investigating whether state Rep. Tom Barrett broke the rules when he landed a helicopter on a high school football field to deliver the ball in early October.“There is an ongoing investigation,” said Sgt. First Class Helen Miller on Wednesday. She said the Michigan National Guard is looking into whether “any policies or safety requirements were violated or not.”On October 6, Barrett dropped in via helicopter to deliver the game ball to Perry High School football players. The Potterville Republican and Michigan National Guard chief warrant officer posted a video of the stunt on Facebook.“Tonight during the military and veteran appreciation high school football game between Perry and Maple Valley I was able to fly in and drop off the game ball. What a great honor. #fridaynightlights,” he wrote as the video caption.A spokesman for House Speaker Tom Leonard, R-Dewitt, defended Barrett after the speaker spoke with Michigan’s director of Military and Veteran Affairs, Major Gen. Gregory Vadnais.“The speaker talked to Vadnais, and I can say Barrett is a good soldier who does what he’s told and will end up just fine,” said Gideon D’Assandro.Barrett served a combined 13 years between the U.S. Army and Michigan Army National Guard as a helicopter pilot. The Iraq War veteran has also been stationed in South Korea, Guantanamo Bay and Kuwait.Barrett, who first took office in 2015, is running for state Senate to replace Sen. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge. He’s running against Rep. Brett Roberts, R-Eaton, in the August 2018 primary.Story, video and photos: http://www.detroitnews.com

Jody Curtis, director of marketing for the Beechcraft Heritage Museum, stands in the newly expanded $1 million Bost Hangar with a portrait of its namesake, Harold Bost. His donation made the expansion possible.

For the last 13 years, the newest exhibit hangar of the Beechcraft Heritage Museum has been known by the name of the aircraft it houses; but after a $1 million expansion was completed last month, the Bonanza/Baron hangar has a new name: the Bost Hangar.Named in honor of emeritus board member Harold Bost, a lifetime member of the museum, the now 36,000-square-foot Bost Hangar was dedicated during the 43rd annual Beach Party Fly-in held in mid-October.“This was his project from day one,” said Director of Marketing Jody Curtis.Bost was the founding member of the hangar now named after him.“Harold’s dream is for it to go all the way to 90,000 square feet,” Curtis said.The dream started with the original 9,000-square-foot addition to the main museum structure, completed in 2004.Separated by an outdoor walkway from the main structure, the Bonanza/Baron Hangar saw its phase II expansion, which doubled the hangar’s display space to 18,000 square feet, completed in 2006.A decade later, in August 2016, the museum announced that it was out of room for new exhibits and launched a fundraising effort to begin Phase III, an 18,000-square-foot expansion which would again double the size of the hangar.Bost responded to the fundraising call, offering to match the museum’s effort dollar-for-dollar up to $1 million.The $1 million alone would have covered the construction costs, but for sustainability the museum routinely raises twice the amount needed for a project to keep up with maintenance costs on its enlarged space and additional aircraft.The match was met, with every dollar coming from private donations.“Every square inch of this museum has been pay-as-you-go,” Curtis said. “There has not been borrowed money for any part of it.”According to Curtis, the museum has consistently relied on its membership base of approximately 900 people worldwide to build its endowment and fund expansion projects.In a video recording of the Oct. 14 dedication that can be viewed on the museum’s Facebook page, Bost told that night’s 300 guests, “We’ve created a habit of doubling every time that we add on, so next time I guess we’re going to have to build 36,000.”Whenever “next time” comes, Curtis said, the museum will be ready. “Everything is built to continue to expand in future years,” Curtis said.Hangar DisplaysThe Bost Hangar is one of the museum’s three exhibit hangars, including the original Walter H. Beech Hangar and the Alton “Chuck” Cianchette Hangar.The museum houses more than 35 aircraft, including the very first Staggerwing ever manufactured. “This is truly Smithsonian quality,” Curtis said of the 1932 aircraft, serial number one.There’s also a twin turboprop Starship, one of only five left in the world. A total of 53 were built in the 1980s, but by the end of the decade most models were decommissioned and destroyed by Raytheon – then the parent company of Beechcraft. Textron Aviation acquired the brand in 2014.The Starship in the museum is a static display, but one of the four still flying was among the 120 aircraft that visited the museum this year, and two of them – from Colorado and Texas – are scheduled to attend next year’s event for the 30th anniversary of the aircraft in 2018.And now, thanks to Bost, there’s a new arrival.Baylescraft LightningUnveiled at the October dedication ceremony, the museum now has an experimental Baylescraft Lightning. The plane is named after Dick Bayles, who managed the first such modification of a Baron twin, and is called the “Lightning” in honor of Beechcraft prototypes of that name.“I think there are only two of these in the world,” Curtis said. “It was pretty fun watching it taxi in here that night.”But the plane’s introduction to the museum had to wait for the expansion project to be complete.“Harold bought this airplane almost two years ago and we’ve been storing it in hiding for him to have for this dedication,” Curtis said.A ‘Vault’ of HistoryThe Beechcraft Heritage Museum also features memorabilia and artifacts that trace the history of the Beechcraft family of airplanes to the company’s founding in 1932. With the inclusion of planes from the 1920s manufacturing precursor to Beechcraft, Travel Air, it actually traces the lineage even farther.“We have a vault of information for pilots or people who want to restore their airplanes,” Curtis said, pointing out file cabinets full of original drawings and documents from the 30s, 40s and 50s. “They come here to do their research.”And one of the plans for the newly expanded Bost hangar is to include a proper technical library and archive in the space for such research.It was the museum’s commitment to promoting and preserving Beechcraft history that, in 2007, drove its name change from the Staggerwing Museum Foundation.When the museum was founded by Staggerwing Club enthusiasts in 1973, it was devoted just to the biplanes with a negative wing stagger. Today, the museum represents all things Beechcraft.It’s a change that is evident during the annual fly-in as well.“Now we are lucky to maybe get a dozen Staggerwings,” Curtis said. “There’s just not that many flying.”Of the 120 aircraft that flew in this year, she said, most were Bonanza and Baron models.In total, this year’s event drew 500 guests from around the world, including one gentleman from Amsterdam who made his first trip to America to visit the museum.“We have people come from all over the world come to Tullahoma, Tennessee, to share in these great aircraft,” Curtis said. “Tullahoma should be really proud of what we have here.”Museum HoursThe privately funded museum on Old Shelbyville Highway is now open year-round, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.Adult admission to the museum is $10. Discounts are available for students, seniors and the military.Original article can be found here: http://www.tullahomanews.com

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AIRPORT—I grab the best seat on Honda’s light business jet, which is about to take off from this airport about six miles outside of downtown Columbus towards New Jersey’s Teterboro Airport.I’m sitting next to pilot Tom Maurer, who has been test flying HondaJets for about six years.Maurer has several sheets of paper that he’s poring through with instructions on speeds to reach at various points on the route. But he doesn’t really need the paperwork. He has three 14-inch landscape displays and two touchscreen controllers in front of him, and he maneuvers them like one would an iPad. He gets all the information he needs from the screen, developed by GPS technology company Garmin -- route, weather information, and details on aircraft around him.During the 85-minute flight, he barely has to hold on to the control wheel. Everything is automatic. He keeps up with radio chatter, answering questions from air traffic control. But for the most part, he is changing frequencies and following instructions.“It reduces the workload,” he says. “You don’t really have to touch the knobs.”

It’s quite a change for a former Navy man who has been flying planes for about 27 years. But he’s enjoying it.The single-pilot HondaJet, the first of which flew in June 2014, has a patented over-the-wing engine that maximizes cabin and storage space. It also reduces cabin noise.For a small plane—it has a height of 14.9 feet and a length of just over 42 feet—it can reach an altitude of 43,000 feet. Its highest speed is 422 knots at Flight Level 300. It can climb 3,990 feet a minute.It’s not unusual for car manufacturers to delve into the aviation industry. Saab, Mitsubishi and Toyota also develop private jets.Honda estimates that because of its unique design, the aircraft gets 17% better fuel efficiency for a typical mission of an aircraft its size.The HondaJet was the brain child of Michimasa Fujino, an engineer who is now the CEO of Honda Aircraft Company, a Honda subsidiary. He first sketched the design in 1997.Ten years later, Honda Aircraft Company broke ground on a new world headquarters and production facility at Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro, N.C.Today, 20 years after Fujino came up with the idea for the HondaJet, the company has delivered 58 planes at a price tag of about $5 million each. The aircraft is certified in the USA, Mexico, Europe, Canada and Brazil. It will also soon spread its wings to China.But Honda is best known for its cars, and it is continuing to make advances with its flagship, the second-generation Acura NSX, a two-seat, mid-engine sports car. The price tag can reach nearly $200,000.The vehicle is produced at Honda’s Marysville, Ohio, plant. The operations there began 40 years ago with about 64 people building motorcycles. Now, the facility spans 8,000 acres with about 15,000 employees. The campus houses not just the plant, but offices and tracks for test-driving.Now Honda has combined its two operations from a customer standpoint by offering its clients packages that will let them experience the HondaJet and the Acura NSX.Priced from $800 to $10,000, clients can customize their experiences to test drive an NSX, fly on the HondaJet, tour the factory, and visit the Honda Heritage Center, a museum that tells the story of the Japanese company’s presence in North America.Those who have purchased a vehicle can even watch their actual car being made.“It’s a customizable, modular experience,” says Matt Sloustcher, manager of public relations for Acura, Honda’s luxury brand.On a recent Wednesday, I get to do all three over the span of 11 hours. We take off from Teterboro around 8 a.m. and land in Ohio about 90 minutes later.The jet can fit up to seven people, including the crew. The cabin itself is almost 5 feet in height and 5 feet in width. The seats are comfortable and can be adjusted, either reclining or sliding farther into the aisle.There's a pull-out table if we want to eat. Controls above adjust the window shades. There is a very well-concealed toilet in the back of the aircraft. Other options can be added to the aircraft, such as Wi-Fi.

It’s a smooth and quiet ride, even allowing for a short nap.Upon arrival, we're whisked off to the Honda Heritage Center, where we see almost every vehicle that Honda has created, including a 1971 N600 and a 1980 Elsinore CR250R motorcycle. Employees, even top executives, wear white jumpsuits or white jackets. The museum is free and open to the public.Next, we head to the testing facility, where we drive the NSX around a couple of sometimes very winding tracks, including a 7.5 mile high-speed one. Our last stop is the plant where we watch a car being manufactured. The painting is done by a robot, but much of the work is accomplished by hand. We stop to watch two employees install an engine before turning it over to a machine.“It’s not technology just for technology, but technology that helps augment the craftsmanship,” says Ted Claus, vice president of strategic research.After our tour, we return to the airport for our ride back home. This time I’m not in the driver’s seat, but I’m happy to sit back to enjoy the views as we approach the Manhattan skyline.Story, photo gallery and video: http://www.11alive.com

National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident.Additional Participating Entity:Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Enfield, ConnecticutAviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfInvestigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdmshttp://registry.faa.gov/N3512LLocation: Montague, MAAccident Number: ERA18LA023Date & Time: 11/02/2017, 1400 EDTRegistration: N3512LAircraft: GREAT LAKES 2T1AAircraft Damage: SubstantialDefining Event: Loss of control on groundInjuries: 1 NoneFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal On November 2, 2017, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Great Lakes Aircraft Company 2T-1A-2, N3512L, experienced a runway excursion during takeoff and nosed over at Turners Falls Airport (0B5), Montague, Massachusetts. The private pilot was not injured and the airplane, which was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight, was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was destined for the Orange Municipal Airport (ORE), Orange, Massachusetts.The pilot stated that he flew to 0B5 the day before the accident and assisted the mechanic with removing panels and bleeding the airplane's brakes as part of an annual inspection. He also reported that the left brake pads were replaced. He returned home that evening, then arrived at 0B5 the afternoon of the accident. After arrival he performed a preflight inspection, which included a visual inspection of the brakes, and rudder cables. He started the engine and began taxiing to the approach end of runway 16, reporting no discrepancies with the brakes while taxiing or during the run-up. He taxied onto the runway and with no wind, began the takeoff roll reporting all was normal for the first 200 ft. With the empennage off the runway, the airplane suddenly veered to the left, which he could not correct. The airplane went off the left side of the runway, down a sharp incline, then nosed over. He immediately released the restraint and exited the airplane.According to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the runway and airplane the same day, the airplane departed the left side of the runway about 425 from the approach end, and came to rest inverted in grass off the east side of the runway. Inspection of the runway revealed dark marks made by the right tire on runway centerline beginning about 350 feet from the approach edge of the runway. The marks were continuous off the east edge of the runway onto grass. Marks from the left tire were too light to capture in a photograph, while "squiggly" marks associated with the tailwheel tire began about 50 feet past the beginning of the right tire marks and continued off the east edge of the runway onto grass.The inspector reported no flat spots of either main landing gear tire. Visual inspection of the brakes while the airplane was inverted revealed both wheels rotated with no resistance. Both brakes were attached and appeared to be serviceable. The brake lines were also intact with no evidence of fluid loss. The airplane was then uprighted, which further damaged the right main landing gear, fractured the right brake line and right outer wheel half, and sheared a bolt of the brake caliper causing it to separate. Fluid was noted leaking from the right brake line when it fractured, leaving about a one-foot round stain on the pavement. Operational testing of the left brake revealed no evidence of failure or malfunction. The right brake could not be tested because of damage caused by recovery. Flight control continuity was confirmed for roll, pitch, and yaw with no evidence of binding or malfunction reported.Pilot InformationCertificate: PrivateAge: 78, MaleAirplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine LandSeat Occupied: RearOther Aircraft Rating(s): NoneRestraint Used: 3-pointInstrument Rating(s): AirplaneSecond Pilot Present: NoInstructor Rating(s): NoneToxicology Performed: NoMedical Certification: BasicMed Without Waivers/LimitationsLast FAA Medical Exam: 05/03/2017Occupational Pilot: NoLast Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/05/2016Flight Time: 4220 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1575 hours (Total, this make and model), 4070 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 30 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 20 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Make: GREAT LAKESRegistration: N3512LModel/Series: 2T1A 2Aircraft Category: AirplaneYear of Manufacture: 1978Amateur Built: NoAirworthiness Certificate: AerobaticSerial Number: 0794Landing Gear Type: TailwheelSeats: 2Date/Type of Last Inspection: 11/01/2017, AnnualCertified Max Gross Wt.: 1800 lbsTime Since Last Inspection:Engines: 1 ReciprocatingAirframe Total Time: 1520 Hours as of last inspectionEngine Manufacturer: LycomingELT: Installed, not activatedEngine Model/Series: AEIO-360-B1G6Registered Owner: On fileRated Power: 180 hpOperator: On fileOperating Certificate(s) Held: NoneMeteorological Information and Flight PlanConditions at Accident Site: Visual ConditionsCondition of Light: DayObservation Facility, Elevation: ORE, 556 ft mslDistance from Accident Site: 11 Nautical MilesObservation Time: 1452 EDTDirection from Accident Site: 98°Lowest Cloud Condition:Visibility: 10 MilesLowest Ceiling: Broken / 12000 ft aglVisibility (RVR):Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / NoneWind Direction: 170°Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/AAltimeter Setting: 30.21 inches HgTemperature/Dew Point: 17°C / 14°CPrecipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No PrecipitationDeparture Point: Montague, MA (0B5)Type of Flight Plan Filed: NoneDestination: Orange, MA (ORE)Type of Clearance: NoneDeparture Time: 1400 EDTType of Airspace:Airport InformationAirport: Turners Falls Airport (0B5)Runway Surface Type: AsphaltAirport Elevation: 359 ftRunway Surface Condition: UnknownRunway Used: 16IFR Approach: NoneRunway Length/Width: 3200 ft / 75 ftVFR Approach/Landing: NoneWreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries: 1 NoneAircraft Damage: SubstantialPassenger Injuries: N/AAircraft Fire: NoneGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: NoneTotal Injuries: 1 NoneLatitude, Longitude: 42.594167, -72.524722 (est)

Location: Montague, MAAccident Number: ERA18LA023Date & Time: 11/02/2017, 1400 EDTRegistration: N3512LAircraft: GREAT LAKES 2T1AInjuries: 1 NoneFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - PersonalOn November 2, 2017, about 1400 eastern daylight time, a Great Lakes Aircraft Company 2T-1A-2, N3512L, experienced a runway excursion during takeoff and nosed over at Turners Falls Airport (0B5), Montague, Massachusetts. The private pilot was not injured and the airplane which was being operated under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, as a personal flight, was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, and was destined for the Orange Municipal Airport (ORE), Orange, Massachusetts.The pilot stated that after engine start he taxied to the run-up area of runway 16, and went through his preflight checklist. There were no discrepancies with the brakes while taxiing or during the run-up. He taxied onto the runway and began the takeoff roll reporting all was normal for the first 200 ft. With the empennage off the runway, the airplane suddenly veered to the left, which he could not correct. The airplane went off the left side of the runway, down a sharp incline, impacted a wing on the ground, and nosed over. He immediately released the restraint and exited the airplane.Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Manufacturer: GREAT LAKESRegistration: N3512LModel/Series: 2T1A 2Aircraft Category: AirplaneAmateur Built: NoOperator: On fileOperating Certificate(s) Held: None

MONTAGUE — A small plane attempting to take off to Orange skidded off the runway and landed upside down in the tall grass at the Turners Falls Airport Thursday afternoon.The plane’s pilot, the only person in the plane, was not injured from the crash, Turners Falls Fire Department Deputy Chief Leon Ambo said.While taking off south around 2:30 p.m., the plane veered to the left and skidded, likely hit a dip just off the runway, and flipped over into the tall grass, less than 100 yards from the runway, Ambo said.Firefighters reported no fluids came out of the plane. An ambulance from Turners Falls Fire Department was at the scene.The Fire Department and Montague Police Department were expecting the Federal Aviation Administration to come and inspect the scene, per protocol, around 4 p.m.Story and photo gallery: http://www.recorder.com

Carl Burleson, left, and Curtis Holsclaw of the Federal Aviation Administration were up from Washington, DC on Monday night for a frank discussion about airport noise problems and what is being attempted to ease or eliminate it.

A major complaint of people who live near airports is that it can seem almost impossible to get a noise complaint heard down in Washington, DC.So on Monday, Washington came to them at the monthly meeting of the New York Community Aviation Roundtable.More than 70 people from Queens and Nassau County were on hand at Borough Hall in Kew Gardens for presentations by the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-Suffolk, Nassau, Queens), who is co-chairman of the Congressional Quiet Skies Caucus.The FAA was represented by Carl Burleson, deputy assistant administrator for policy, international affairs and environment; Curtis Holsclaw, acting director and deputy director of the FAA Office of Environment & Energy; and Julie Marks, the agency’s community involvement manager for airspace projects.Burleson said the FAA takes noise complaints very seriously, and that it is taking a multipronged approach toward them.“There’s no magic bullet,’ Burleson said.Or at least, not yet.Holsclaw led the group through an 18-page PowerPoint presentation laying out what is known about existing problems, and what research is being conducted to reduce or abate airport noise.“This is the same presentation that Congress got,” said Warren Schreiber, president of the Bay Terrace Community Alliance and co-chairman of the Roundtable along with Barbara Brown of the Eastern Queens Alliance.Suozzi, who attended the FAA briefing this past summer, said in his opening remarks that his office has taken 80,000 noise complaints since he took office in January, and that other officials at the local, state and federal levels all get their share. He said there can be a sense of frustration among residents he speaks with.“Who is tracking these complaints?” Holsclaw asked.He said the agency is working on a new way of gathering, assessing and responding to such complaints in a consistent manner. It will include interagency crosschecking, new websites and outreach initiatives.Testing of the system should be complete this year and it will go into full implementation in 2018.Understanding and dealing with the noise itself, Holsclaw said, is the subject of numerous studies. One, being conducted by numerous colleges and universities, including many with schools of public health, is studying the possibility of reducing the maximum allowed level of prolonged noise exposure from 65 decibels to 55, the standard in many other countries.A study on how airplane noise impacts people’s sleep is set to begin in 2018. One on cardiovascular health is set for 2020.And, likely to the delight of Suozzi and his constituents, a helicopter noise study also is in the offing.Other studies are also planned for impact on children’s learning and what is termed annoyance. The latter appeared to elicit laughter and anger from Nassau County resident Elaine Miller.“A fly buzzing around my head is an annoyance,” she said. “This is torment.”“That’s why we’re here,” said Marks, adding that she herself lives under a flight path.“I know you have concerns; I have them too,” she said.Marks, who was moved to her post in the last year, said if people have doubts about the FAA’s seriousness on improving community outreach, he or she need only know of her first day, in which she was summoned to what was supposed to be a 10-minute meeting with FAA Administrator Michael Huerta — which included ranking FAA brass and went about an hour with Huerta laying out his expectations.Burleson and Holsclaw both said technology, careful selection of flight paths and other measures have greatly reduced the number of people in the country who are impacted in their daily lives.But residents present said technology also has resulted in more and more planes being concentrated into narrower corridors, concentrating the noise of takeoffs and landings into small areas.Holsclaw said the FAA is studying things like spreading the approach corridors out again and changing other operational procedures, many of which come with trade-offs under existing technology.“But with that, the noise doesn’t go away; you just spread it out over more people,” he said. “Some people will have less noise, others will have more. ... You’re only deciding who gets what noise when.”One example involves having landing jets come in higher and having a more abrupt descent, which would result in less noise in outlying neighborhoods, but concentrated clamor directly adjacent.On some takeoffs, pilots could have the option of using a lower throttle to get into the air, lessening impact near the end of a runway, only to eventually power up farther out to attain altitude.He said one operational landing procedure with some promise involves pilots touching down farther down the runway than normal — if the plane and the length of the runway allow it to be done safely.But he also said great strides have been taken in terms of fuel, engine and airframe technology for reducing what is called source noise, and that the search by airlines, manufacturers and regulators will not stop pursuing it.“That is your magic bullet,” he said.Some relief on the horizon is courtesy of federal law.All new planes in the United States must meet stricter so-called Level 4 noise standards, and have since 2006. While it applies only to new aircraft “there are relatively few Stage 3s out there,” Holsclaw said.Depending on their size, new aircraft must meet Stage 5 noise standards as of this coming Dec. 31, or Dec. 31, 2020.Brown and Schreiber both said they were pleased with the presentation“It gives us a lot of grist, a lot of things we can work on,” Brown said.“The trick now is getting something done,” Schreiber said.Story and photos: http://www.qchron.com

http://registry.faa.gov/N2103TLocation: Redding, CAAccident Number: WPR18LA039Date & Time: 11/02/2017, 0930 PSTRegistration: N2103TAircraft: CESSNA 172RInjuries: 3 NoneFlight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - InstructionalOn November 2, 2017, about 0930 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 172R, N2103T, was substantially damaged during an off airport landing after the engine experienced a loss of power shortly after takeoff from Redding Municipal Airport (RDD), Redding, California. IASCO Flight Training operated the airplane as an instructional flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certified flight instructor and two students were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area training flight, and no flight plan had been filed.According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the flight departed to the southeast. About 3 miles from the airport, the pilot contacted RDD tower personnel and reported an engine failure with sparks coming from the engine. The tower controller cleared the flight to land runway 34. During the approach, the airplane was too high, and the pilot elected to go around. The tower controller then cleared the pilot to land any runway. The pilot made a turn back for runway 16, crossed the runway and landed in a field.The airplane was recovered for further investigation. Aircraft and Owner/Operator InformationAircraft Manufacturer: CESSNARegistration: N2103TModel/Series: 172R RAircraft Category: AirplaneAmateur Built: NoOperator: IASCO FLIGHT TRAINING INCOperating Certificate(s) Held: None Meteorological Information and Flight PlanConditions at Accident Site: Condition of Light:Observation Facility, Elevation:Observation Time:Distance from Accident Site:Temperature/Dew Point:Lowest Cloud Condition:Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction:Lowest Ceiling:Visibility: Altimeter Setting:Type of Flight Plan Filed:Departure Point:Destination:Wreckage and Impact InformationCrew Injuries:3 NoneAircraft Damage: Substantial Passenger Injuries: N/AAircraft Fire: NoneGround Injuries: N/AAircraft Explosion: NoneTotal Injuries: 3 NoneLatitude, Longitude: 40.508889, -122.293333 (est)

REDDING, Calif. - Firefighters responded around 9:30 a.m. to an aircraft reported down near the Redding Municipal Airport Thursday morning.According to officials, the aircraft was from IASCO Flight Training and had three people on board, two students and an instructor. Redding Fire Chief Gerry Gray said no one was injured during the incident. The plane crashed into a fence, narrowly missing a parked CAL FIRE plane.Officials said the plane reported mechanical problems before landing.IASCO Flight Training released a statement after the crash:“We at IASCO Flight Training value the safety if our student and instructors.Today one of our aircraft with a fight instructor and two students on board experienced mechanical problems that led to an off-runway landing.Their timely actions and adherence to correct procedures prevented ant injuriesIASCO Flight Training always puts safety as it’s top priority.Our comprehensive training and experience flight instructors are equipped to deal with these types of unfortunate situations.We are working with authorities to investigate this incident and to maintain our safety standards at all times.”

A small plane crash Thursday morning didn't injure any of the three people onboard, Redding Fire Chief Gray said. Dispatchers reported a possible crash just before 9:30 a.m.The Cessna 172R Skyhawk plane appeared mostly intact, though it crashed into a fence at the Redding Municipal Airport.It's unclear so far what led to the crash. A flight instructor and two student pilots were on the plane. The plane is owned by IASCO Flight Training, according to Federal Aviation Administration records.Story and photo gallery: http://www.redding.com